Wow, powerful isn't it? What do we build our foundations on? This world would like to make us think it's all about how successful we are in the world. We can build our foundations on selfishness. We can pretty much build upon anything, but the question is, "Is it lasting?" Anything not built upon the Word of God will soon fall. There is no foundation that is lasting, but the foundation of God.
It's like building a house of cards. We can place card after card, but one shake, one wrong move and wham! They all fall upon one another. Your left picking up the cards only to begin again. We take two and stack them. We hold our breath so we are not shaky. If we are not shaky, someone else is going to come along that is. It doesn't take much for that house of cards to fall.
Unless we are right with the Lord, nothing else can be. If we are not living in the Word and acting out our faith, how can we build meaningful relationships with others? If we are not where we are to be in Him, everything else around us will become shaky, too. Our co-workers can look to us to see if we are really who we say we are. Too many times they see a side of us that is not in line with God's Word. Our friends too can see us trying to be someone we are not. Our family? Wow, the most important relationships we have and what happens? We get off track with God and soon enough our family begins to feel the stress of that foundation slipping.
Like an earthquake, you can hear it coming before the ground gives way. You hear the rolling. Glass begins to shatter. Trinkets begin to fall, all before the ground cracks wide open. Why can't we see this? In our lives we see that things are not right. In fact, we always want to be right. Ever think about that? We hate to admit when we are wrong. That pride is an ugly thing.
Think of that crack in your window of your car. Oh, it begins with a little, "Ting" from a rock. It starts out small. You think, "It won't be anything of concern." Until you come out to get in your car a few days later and you see a crack beginning to form. Unless you get that windshield to the glass doctor, that crack is only going to grow. It will get bigger and stretch until it has covered your glass and you can no longer see clearly. You must look around it, under it or over it, but however you look, it is still in your view.
"If our minds and hearts area not filled with God's truth, something else will take His place; cynicism, occultism, false religions, philosophies, drugs--the list is endless." Billy Graham
Simply put, if our hearts and minds are not right with God something else will fill that space. When we are right with God we feel His compassion. We live in His truth. We act out our faith. We reach out in love. We forgive easily. We don't keep an account of others actions. We feel His conviction and see our own stumbles before we see another's. We are accountable for our actions and are humble before others.
We can get so caught up in self that we forget the will of God has nothing to do with self, but our willingness in allowing God to shine forth in all we do.
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 7:24-25
Sometimes we must stand alone. Everyone isn't going to want to stand in the Word of God with us. We can lose family and friends when we walk in our faith. We must remember, it isn't us they are rejecting, but the very God we serve. Think about it, if we are really living out our faith, those around us will feel comfort, but they will also feel conviction. We are not here to fit in, but to make a difference. We are to stand out and stand apart from the way the world thinks. Can our neighbors see that we are different when outdoors in our very yards? Do our co-workers see there is something very real and different about us as we work next to them daily? Does our family notice our hearts and minds are in tune with Christ and not how this world thinks? In the world it's, "Me,Me, Me!" It's about how, "I feel".
Our feelings change moment by moment. Basically according to how things are working for us. If things are going great, well, it's time to smile. If things are not so good, it's time to throw ourselves a pity party. The thing is, usually we are the only people who want to attend this party. We must not live by our emotions. We must be grounded in our faith. Knowing that whatever kind of day we are having God is at the center. If He is at the center, well then, we trust Him and we find joy in everything that touches our life.
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33
The world around you might be mighty shaky. Struggles and trials might be around every turn, but friends, if you are finding God first, and seeking all that He is, you are going to find yourself covered in His grace and strength. You will remain focused on Him and not your circumstances. Don't limit God by our vision.
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:33
If I am honest with you I can share that the relationship with my children is on shaky ground. After two years of my husband being laid off from work our home life has been shaky too. My health has it's ups and downs. Life sometimes stinks. We just sit back and shake our heads. We just simply can't understand why stuff keeps happening. Friends, that is for us to take a deeper look into our walk with Christ. He may very well be teaching us something valuable about the next step in our walk. Sometimes things happen because of our choices and sometimes it is very well because of others. The key is finding the solution to peace. The only way to peace is through our Savior. It's surrendering all to Him.
Although it breaks my heart to not be right with my daughters right now, I have faith in God. I know He will make it right. As I write this post today, my husband, has found an awesome job. Never give up hope my friends. Never. God will bring you through. He will give you all you need not only to overcome, but to soar above. My health? Well, that is still in question, but I can tell you today I feel wonderful. We can't live in yesterday. We can't struggle in today and we sure can't assume what tomorrow will bring. We must learn to live moment to moment as if it is our last moment to live. Allow God to give us a different view. I promise, if you give Him a chance, He will remove all doubt and show you to live a life of hope.
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
